WHICH HAS THE GREATER^UAIM TO IMMORTALITY—JOAN OF ARC OR FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE?

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 83

WHICH HAS THE GREATER^UAIM TO IMMORTALITY— JOAN OF ARC OR FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE?

By Octava. The story of Joan of Arc has always stirred me with deepest pity for one who did so much for her country and who met with, such a horrible death. Joan of Arc waa born aibout the year 1412, in a small country village in France, Her parents were very poet. She was uneducated, •but very religious and indaistriously brought up, though history is vague as to what hen ocoupation really waa. Som-e -writers tell us she tended flocks of sheep and worked in the fields, and others fce!l us she was employed as a servant at the village inn, and that from the practice of occasion oily attending on horses she acquired thai dexterity, in,. the saddle which she afterwards exhibited. ' It was at the time Orlear~s was besieged by the English, and the heard such dreadful accounts of the wretchedness of her country that it stirred within her a deep patriotic feeling, which carried her so far as to imagine she saw visions of saints,, who came, and. conversed wiith hex, and commanded her to go to the aid of the King and. drive the En-glish out of Orleans and from her country. France waa than under •& superstition that, having been ruined by a wicked woman, it waa to be restored to prosperity aad glory by « spotless virgin. Joan waa so convinced that she waa flic virgin spoken of that even the pleadings of her .parents oould' not persuade her to give up her delusion. When at last they consented to let her go, she went to the Governor of the neighbouring town and. told him of her visions, and asked him not to neglect the voice ot God which spoke through her. The G-overnor, however, dis- ! missed her with anger and contempt. This : did hot discourage Joan : her belief in her visions -was 30 great and devoted' that the townspeople soon began to believe in them, and' in a short while were soon talking of the wonderful maid who was to save Fiance. The Governor half believedi her to be « wi-toK or sorceress, but »a Jtraii reverently knelt andi kissed the cross, he at length furnished iher with a horse, » sword, and » suit of man's clothes, an<l sent her with an escort to the King at Chanon. The King ftt first greeted l Joan's appeal with, laughter and scorn, but soon became convinced that She was sent on a divine mission. The King, however, subjected her to a long examination by the docto"r» and bishops' of the Church. Joan did not like so much questioning, but it is said that her answers were clear and sensible, delivered without hesitation, and sometimes even witty. One of tie bishops, who had a very gruff voice and unpleasant manner, inquired of her. "What language do your voices speak?" She quickly replied, '"A pfeasanteT one than yours." The people soon began to believe in Joan, and accepted her as their leader. She waa clad in a- suit of mail, mounted on a spirited white horse, andl bore in her hand a- white banner. So equipped, she marched with a large number of men towards Orleans. The Earl of Suffolk, who was in charge of the English troops at Orleans, treated the idea that Jean could conquer them with ridicule, and said, "It is a silly trick; the French "must be m&d to think, after the whole power and chivalry of their country have been in vain exerted against the English-, that they can conquer by means of a cow-driving girl." The English soldiers had heaxd- the story of Joan, and it had so struck them with a vague, superstitious terror' that when she approached with her convoy they were so dispirited that they made no attempt at resistance, but merely looked on in silence. Joan entered tihe city amid great shouting ■and rejoicing 1 , and so, aa . she predicted, raised the siege of Orleans and saved' jts people from famine. From this time the title of the Maid of Orleans was conferred on her. Her success revived courage in the soldiers' hearts; troops flocked to her assistance, and soon their number far exceeded that of the assailants. Other successes followed, and one day she attacked the famous fortress of the Tournelles with great -fury The English in +l;e heat of the conflict recovered their old courage, and itrove back their assail an t-s. Again the French charged, and Egaiix they were driven back, leaving many of their number dead. Still Joan was not to be vanquished; she seized a scaling l ladder, placed it against the wall, and, calling to her soldiers to follow, instantly ascended. She was struck in the neck by an arrow, snefc fell senseless amongst the dead. They carried her away, the arrow was withdrawn, the wound; dressed, and in a short time she appeared again, before the walls, and animated her troops by her presence. Her opponents, who thought that she was dead, now believed she was immortal, and after a terrible slaughter on both sides the English were, again defeated. The King, who was rather faint-hearted, now took courage, and Tode with Joan and a. body of troops to besiege Suffolk 'ji Jargeau. Here Joan had another narrow escape, for she was struck on the head with a stone, which felled her senseless to the ground; but after three days' obstinate fighting the place surrendered. The English fled in consternation, and the French pursued them wkh an army which received many additions during its march. They halted at Patay and prepared for battle. The French he-re hesitated a-bout fighting, but Joan again encouraged them. "Ride on." she said; 'ride on, in the name ol The Lord, and conquer!" The French did ride on, and gained a compete victory over the English. This battle revived wonderfully the courage and loyal spirit of the French. Joan had fulfilled one part of her mission — that of raising the siege of Orleans; she was now to fulfil the other, and conduct the King to (he ancient city of Rheims, to be lawfully crowned at the cathedral. For th.l 3 purpose she insisted) that he should instantly set out, but. as the enterprise was a dangerous one. the King and his troops hesitated. Joan both reproved and enrouraged them, and finally the King resolved: t.> go. He reached Elheinu in safety, and took many towns on his vay. The tide of fortune now turned with the King. After h© was crowned he advanced^ into tho Isle of France, and town, after town submitted to hini as he passed. Jean had now fulfilled her mission, and wished to return to her parents, but the King- persuaded, her to remain. It seenis the French generate grew very jealous of her; they did not like all the victories ard triumphs attributed to her instead of tb*p: — { ungratefully forgetting that but for her u<eir 1 cause would in ail probability have been lost, I and their King would have lived and died a| fugitive. Meanwhile the King marched to' Pans and attacked it, but was repulsed by | the English. Joan was again wounded, t&o> ! lay for some time $enseless. pn reviving 1 she again encouraged the soldiers to the

attack, but they were driven back, and Joa* forced along with them. When gocd fortuni seemed to be forsaking- her. the soldiers un« gratefully turned against her. They called her a false prophetess, and said. "You tolc! us we should have slept in Paris to-night!". Joan replied with spirit, "And so you would" if you had fought as I^fought!" Jean nexti went to the assistance of Compiegne. She entered the town, took the English by surprise, and killed t great many. Joan's prosperity had now reached its zenith, and a, | gloomy and! rapid descent was before he 4 The English rallied, an-d came up in sucb numbers that Joan ordered a retreat. This order her troops obeyed readily enough, and' as Joan frequently turned round and fought with those who pursued her, she was at last! left almost alone. The English dragged her from her horse, and, her cowardly soldier 9 i flying into the city, shut the gates and left) her to her fate without ont effort to save* 'her. It. i_s said she leapt to her feet andl fought furiously to regain, her liberty, but she was overpowered and carried away ai prisoner. The King then sho-wed what am utter coward he was, for 'he made no effort to -save the noble girl who had saved his lif« and his country. The English sent Joan, to prison for six months, during which, time she was loaded! with chains, and then put her on trial. Forty learned doctors presided on the occa»j sion, and day by day these stern, heartless men perplexed her -with subtle questions thab they might convict her of being a heretia ana a witch. Hex clear and simple answers sometimes won her tihe pity of the judges, but when such was the case the inhuman! bishop ; eav«gely interrupted and frowned' hen into silence. At 'fcne-time so many askedl her questions together ihat she modestly reproved these learned men by saying. "Onei at a time, good fathers, if you please." Joan was found 'gTiilty of all' -the crimes of which she 'had been accused, and againsent to prison. She became verj downhearted; her spirit was 'broken, by imprisonment, and, her muxSTterrified by the threats of the priests^ Her spirits revived again, and! she once more fancied she heard the sweefc voices and beheld the visions. She was, however, watched, and her persecutors placed! /the dress of a soldier in her cell. At sight of it returned all her enthusiasm, and shel could not resist the temptation of donning it. For this offence she was condemned t« > death. She was burnt at the stake in th< market place at Rouen, before bishops and d great crowd, who watched unmoved thi* young girl b-tjlS&t six-c&z a. lnMn*il>l«- <3ea£2i- He^ remains were collected and thrown into thrf Seine. So died Joan, a martyr to he* country, aaid at the 'hands of Englishmen* It was Joan Who saved 1 her country ; but fo# her their towns would have been ruined, and? l <the Fxench cruelly overpowered by the Eng-i lish. She left her home, a> pure, simple country girl, to go to battle in the thickest of the fray, and fought, not for her own life,( but for her countrymen. Her bravery ha.3 never been surpassed. She did' manjf a deed that * strong man might have "hesitated to Jo, Fox her determination alonet she will never be forgotten; in spite of all Jno discouragement she met with she stuck to her purpose, and succeeded. That she should have- met with suci a cruel, unjustf death without one of her countrymen making! an effort to save her only shows what moral cowa.rds the French were. The story of thai brave, noble girl will never be forgotten.. The sfory of near self-sacrifice is known all' over tha world, and will always be known., Florence Nightingale will be immortalised} by the British; but Joan of Aro by that whole wide world. That Florence Nightingale's was an unselfish, noble work there ia no doubt; but her work was not given in' vain. All the honours a nation- could give, were bestowed on her, while Joan of Arc wast cruelly burned to death. They were both; noble women, but Joan, of Arc sacrificed her life/] arid therefore has the greater claim to immortality.